Ranking 5 teams with the fewest losses in a Premier League season

The Premier League has seen several phenomenal teams compete for the title over the years. These teams are part of the English top-flight's glorious history and have provided fans with unforgettable moments.

In a league as combative as the Premier League, winning the title is always a formidable task. While some exceptional teams have won the league at a canter, others have had to fight tooth and nail to get to the top.

The Premier League is one of the most competitive leagues in the world

Managing to complete the entire season with the same consistency and tempo is a feat only a few extraordinary teams have managed in the history of the league. Losing is part of the game but these teams have managed to keep their losses to a minimum and stamp their authority over 38 games.

Let us now take a look at the six teams who have ended a Premier League season with the fewest defeats:

#4 Manchester United and Leicester City: 3

Manchester United celebrating their 1999-00 title win (Image courtesy: premierleague.com)

Manchester United were at their ruthless best at the end of the nineties. Sir Alex Ferguson’s men dominated the Premier League and were one of the greatest sides in Europe. The Red Devils went on to win two league titles having suffered just three defeats each, in 1998-99 and 1999-00.

Arsenal, Middlesbrough, and Sheffield Wednesday were the only teams to beat United in the 1998-99 season. United famously won the treble that year, capping off an incredible season. In the following campaign, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Newcastle managed to beat the champions.

Level with Manchester United on just three losses in a season are Leicester City. The Foxes’ magical 2015-16 Premier League season will forever be etched in memory with them going on to win the league against all odds. Claudio Ranieri’s men lost twice to Arsenal and once to Liverpool in their fairytale campaign.

#3 Manchester City: 2 – 2017/18

Manchester City's "Centurions" of the 2017-18 season

Even with other star-studded teams in the Premier League, Manchester City’s record-breaking 2017-18 season will be hard to replicate. Pep Guardiola and his men were unrelenting on the pitch, scoring for fun and bullying the opposition.

Man City were simply unplayable at times and went on to win the title at a canter. They ended the campaign on a century of points, which is the highest in Premier League history.

City’s only defeats that season came against Liverpool at Anfield and Manchester United at home. Both these games were thrilling encounters and stopped City from breaking even more records.

There is never a dearth of goals when it comes to City, and they scored a whopping 106 goals that season, which is another league record. The Sky Blues ended the season with a lead of 19 points over rivals Manchester United.

#2 Chelsea and Liverpool: 1

Chelsea's 2004-05 season was a defensive masterclass

Chelsea and Liverpool are the only two teams that have lost only once in a Premier League campaign. Jose Mourinho’s first season with Chelsea in 2004-05 was extraordinary. The Blues claimed their second league title with a robust and commanding defensive performance.

They were unbeaten at home throughout the season and their only defeat in that remarkable campaign came to Manchester City. Petr Cech, who was playing his debut season with Chelsea, kept 24 clean sheets in total, which is still a league record.

Liverpool’s 2018-19 campaign was probably the greatest in league history for a team that did not win the title. They are the only team to reach 90+ points in a season without winning the league.

Exemplary goalie Alison had a spectacular debut campaign with Liverpool and finished the season with the Premier League Golden Glove after keeping 21 clean sheets.

The Reds lost only one game the entire season, to eventual champions Manchester City. The game that took place in January 2019 turned out to be the title decider. Liverpool finished the campaign on 97 points, just one behind City.

The deadly duo of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were superb and finished the campaign with 22 goals, level with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

#1 Arsenal: 0

Arsenal's "Invincibles" celebrating their unbeaten title winning campaign (Image courtesy: www.premierleague.com))

Arsenal’s famed “Invincibles” of the 2003-04 season are one of the greatest teams to have played in the Premier League. The Gunners went the entire campaign unbeaten and are the only English team to do so after Preston North End, who achieved the feat in the 1888-89 season.

Arsene Wenger famously proclaimed in 2002 that his team was more than capable of finishing a season unbeaten. The Frenchman was ridiculed for this statement, but his critics were forced to eat their words one year later.

The Gunners won 26 games and drew 12 and finished the campaign on 90 points. Chelsea finished in second place, 11 points behind Arsenal. Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires, and captain Patrick Vieira were Arsenal’s most influential players that season. The Premier League commissioned a unique gold trophy to commemorate the Gunners’ extraordinary achievement.

Arsenal’s Invincible season was part of the longest unbeaten run in Premier League history. The Gunners played 49 matches without defeat between May 2003 and October 2004. Their run eventually came to an end at Old Trafford in a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United. Dubbed the Battle of the Buffet, the match ended in an infamous brawl that saw Sir Alex Ferguson get struck by a slice of pizza.